


Wake Me

by Darkwolves602



Series: Wake Me [1]
Category: Halo
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 15:07:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5132057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkwolves602/pseuds/Darkwolves602
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A view on the hidden background events leading up to the conclusion of Halo 3 as the Forward Unto Dawns shipboard AI comes to terms with the reality of war fighting all around her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wake Me

The bright veil of slipstream collapsed from around UNSC Frigate _Forward unto Dawn_ as the craft exited slipspace. The ship drifted in formation flanked on all sides by a fleet of Covenant Rebel Cruisers, Carriers, Frigates and Destroyers. Commander Miranda Keyes was flung forward in her command chair, the forces of slipspace slowly degrading and drawing her back into her seat with an “Umph”.

Miranda scanned her gaze across the bridge; everything seemed to have made it through in one piece, something of which you could never be certain of when manoeuvring through slipspace. “Sakura” Miranda spoke into thin air. A blue figure shimmered into existence on the holographic pedestal, a young woman blanketed in a loose poncho that lightly covered her feminine form stop atop the projection unit beside Miranda’s command chair. “Run a scan of the ship’s systems, please. Ensure everything is operational”

“Of course ma’am” Sakura placed her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes as if descending into deep thought. She felt her fragments breaking apart and slithering through the ships many systems, reaching out to every circuit in the system, feeling the drain of energy as she broke herself apart and the sudden surge of power as she was reassembled one byte at a time. “All systems are operational, ma’am. All crew members have been revived from cryogenic stasis, no casualties reported”. She smiled.

“Very good. Link me with the Shipmasters fleet” Keyes ordered.

Sakura once again closed her eyes, opening a COM link with the Shipmasters Flagship _Shadow of Intent_. “COM link online ma’am”

Miranda stared up at the brides main viewscreen, the four mandibles of the Shipmaster crackling into view. “Shipmaster, _Forward unto Dawn_ has exited slipspace and is reading one hundred percent”  
  
“ _Very well commander, I have my fleet in position. What is your proposed plan of attack, I assume you have devised one?_ ”

The commander tapped a control on the side of her chair; a holographic map of the planet below arose in front of her, reading random statistics on air quality and soil composition. Both things Miranda couldn’t care about in the slightest at this moment in time. “Our intelligence on _The Ark_ is minimal. Therefore our primary objective should be reconnaissance. The Master Chief and Johnson prepared to drop onto the surface and identify a landing zone for the _Dawn_. Once they’ve cleared the landing zone I’ll touch down and co-ordinate the assault on the Ark. For now though we should focus on distracting Truth’s fleet until the Chief can go to ground, after that they can be safely destroyed and we can turn our attention to Truth himself”

The Shipmaster leant forward in his seat. “ _Very well, with our cannons we will burn a hole through Truth’s lies and smite the heart of his damnation_ ”.

Below him Miranda heard the voice of another elite call out too their leader. “ _Brute Ships, standard line. Shipmaster, they outnumber us three-one_ ”

The Shipmasters mandibles moved into an alien smile. “ _Then it is an even fight, all cruisers fire at will. Burn their mongrel hides_ ”

Miranda looked out the main view screen, she watched as the Brute fleet swam menacingly towards her. Glowing purple spots emerged across the hulls of the enemy ships; each would soon grow into a deadly plasma laser which could slice clean through her ship as though it were paper thin. Miranda tapped a control on her seat, a holographic image of the battle emerging before her, watching as the Elite vessels moved towards the lingering Loyalist fleet as they formed a perimeter protecting the structure which would lead to their ultimate demise. Every vessel was accounted for, except Truth’s Forerunner Dreadnought.   
  
She tapped her COM unit, a whiff of Johnson’s cigar smoke filling her view screen. “Truth’s ship isn’t taking part in the attack; he must have gone to ground”

Johnson settled into the co-pilots seat of the _Pelican_. “ _Roger that ma’am we’re on it. Pop the hatch_ ”

Miranda turned to her bridge crew. “Open the pelican drop bay”

With a flurry of typing her bridge officer turned back too her. “Doors opening ma’am”

The view screen became filled with the pulsing blue glow of the force field which sealed the atmosphere within the ship. Miranda’s fingers instinctively curled around the tips of her armrests, even being half way across the ship from the opening in the ship she still felt insecurity as she stared into the open void before her. Miranda turned to her weapons officer. “Weapons, charge the MAC gun. Arm archer missile pods A through D” Miranda watched as her Weapons officer typed out the commands on his keyboard.   
  
A sequence of codes flashed up on Miranda’s view screen. “Archer missiles armed. MAC is charging. Countdown initiated T-minus thirty four seconds and counting” Miranda knew would use the strategy developed by her father, Captain Jacob Keyes, now taken into common practice after the battle of Sigma Octanus IV. An initial barrage of archer missiles to decimate the enemy shields, cripple the ship with a second barrage before finishing the enemy with a MAC round. “Fire the first salvo” she watched as each of the Archer tubes launched from their berths, each trailing a line of smoke towards their waiting target. The majority found their target, some scraping against the shields and being knocked off course, others clean misses. Those that did strike the shield exploded harmlessly on the barrier, small pockets of white flares along the hull of the ship as they tried to punch they’re way through, to little avail.

“Fire Salvo two” ordered Miranda. Again _Forward unto Dawn_ let loose with another flurry Archer missile pods. Once more the majority of the missiles pounded into the ships shields. The barrier flurried and died, the ship floating lifeless and exposed.

“Fire the MAC” An enormous amount of recoil ran through the ship, a thousand times greater than the Archer Missile pods. The heavy MAC round slammed into the alien frigate, the shields withheld the blast for a short time before fizzling, and dieing. The recoil shook through the ship, the heavy round trailing towards the enemy ship as it hovered helplessly. The round ripped through the alien ship, striking the reactor and causing a chain reaction. Plumes of fire erupted along the brow of the ship, before it eventually exploded and was encapsulated in the flames. Miranda smiled as she saw the remains of the Brute ship float aimlessly in the void of space. She tapped her COM unit. “Johnson, what’s your status?”

A crackle of static filled the COM link, before being filled by Johnson’s voice. “ _Situations green ma’am. The Chief has deployed at the drop point and we’re holding position over the operation zone”_

“Excellent. Report back to me when the Chief has secured the LZ. And tell him to make it quick, we do not have enough weapons to take them all on”

“ _Roger that ma’am_ ” she closed the COM link.

Miranda turned to the soldier occupying the navigation station. “Navigation, get me an angle on the next target”

 

********************************

  
“Ma’am” Sakura’s avatar crackled into existence. Miranda turned from the slaughter in front of her, the wreckage of dozens of Covenant ships that floated aimlessly in space, their shattered hulls a monument to their cause. “Sergeant Major Johnson has reported that the Master Chief has secured the landing zone and the Dawn is clear for landing”

“Excellent. Is there any damage to the ship?” Miranda asked.

Sakura once again placed her hand to her forehead, scanning the entire ships systems within a fraction of a second. “No breaches detected in the Dawns hull. We are clear to enter the planet’s atmosphere”

“Excellent. Take us down” Miranda ordered intent on clearing the zone while they still could.

“Gladly” her avatar faded back into the computer systems. Miranda watched as the words _‘Auto-pilot activated’_ flashed on the main view screen. Miranda felt the ship lunge out of its orbit, seemingly of it’s own accord, plummeting towards the surface of the planet.   
  
The dark void of space was soon left behind and was quickly replaced by the sandy dunes of the desert which covered this segment of the planet. Miranda watched as the ship slowed as it came close towards a large rock formation that sat at the bottom of an enormous metal wall which segmented this area from another. The ships engines threw up a cloud of dust in its path as Miranda looked out over the corpses and wreckage of dozens of Covenant vehicles scattered across the landing zone. _Forward unto Dawn_ eventually found her berth; her landing gears digging themselves into the soft dirt and sand beneath them. Miranda tapped a switch, the main view screen shone with the golden dust baked cliff on the aft of the ship. Miranda zoomed in to see the Chief as he triumphantly slung his assault rifle across his back. “Chief, come to the back of the Frigate” she watched as the Chief strode towards the rear of the ship.

Sakura’s avatar pouted at her “I assume you have a plan”

“I do” she tapped the COM link. “Lieutenant, are the vehicles prepped and ready?”

“ _Wrapped in ribbons, ma’am_ ” a sharp young male’s voice came across the link.

“Excellent” She turned to her AI “Sakura, lower the rear cargo lifts”

“Yes ma’am” Sakura acknowledged.

That is what Miranda always liked about Sakura, she would always follow orders to the letter and show unwavering respect too her superiors, especially Miranda. But she still managed a flowery tone that was amazingly uplifting in this wavering time of crisis and uncertainty. Where this may be humanity’s last chance to save itself from ultimate destruction and Sakura, in her own way, had been one of the influences that Miranda relied upon for support. With her father gone, Sakura was one of the only true friends she had left in the world. “Now, if we can’t go over the wall, we’ll go right through it” Sakura finally understood the commander’s plan as she watched the three tanks roll off the ramps towards a waiting Chief. “Chief, take one of the Tanks”

She turned off the main view screen, the eagle of the UNSC snapped up in its place. “May I say something ma’am?” Sakura asked out of the blue, she turned too her.

“Of course Sakura”

Sakura smiled deviously. “I like the way you think, ma’am”

Miranda returned the smile. “I know you do”


	2. The Ark

The assault on _The Ark_ had begun. The Chief and the Arbiter had stormed _The Cartographer_ and the location of the Control Room and the Prophet Truth himself was now known. The only thing left standing in their way was a large defense barrier Truth had activated to ensure his success in activating _The Ark_ undisturbed. That was soon going to change.

“We hit these three generators and the barrier will fall?” Miranda looked across at her temporary advisor, 343 Guilty Spark may have been a pompous ass and at times he would allow his preset duties put Humanity second behind the safety of his installations, but he was also a wealth of knowledge about the Forerunners and their technology.

“A small section, yes” he answered with monotone acceptance.

With her answer Miranda snapped back to her view screen. “Good enough. Johnson, drop the Chief at the first generator and then head to the third. The elites will punch right down the middle”

The four pelicans and two Phantoms broke formation, Miranda and her escort banking left, the Chief and Johnson banking right, while the elites continued their present course.

“ _Brace yourselves! We’re going in a little hot_ ” she heard one of the other pilots calling out, the COM channel blurred by static, something about Tower One.

“ _Ma’am this is Hocus. We’ve lost our wingman and our only hog_ ”

“Roger that. Get out of there Hocus!” Miranda would never allow herself to put any of her soldiers in unnecessary risk. Miranda lowered her pelican down onto the beachhead. “Go go go!” Miranda called into the rear compartment, she looked out of the Pelican’s portside window. The mongoose skidded to a halt on the loose sand the Chief hopping onto the vehicle, a Spartan Laser slung over his shoulder.

 

********************************

The Chief’s approach to the First tower went according to plan. After the loss of Hocus’s wingman she was forced to abandon the engagement, forcing Miranda to take up the role of supply transport and recon for the remainder of the mission. From her position high above the battle, watching the anti-air artillery fire streak past her Pelican or scrape across the hull of her craft, she could see the full extent of the carnage.

“Things seem to be going to plan, ma’am” Sakura fizzled into existence over the holotank, her flowery voice a god send in comparison to the mechanical throb of the engine. Miranda turned to her AI.

“Indeed” Turning back to the map. “But the battle has only just begun. Activate the Chiefs camera, I want a status report”

Sakura closed her eyes once more. “On the main view screen”

The view screen was suddenly awash with life as Miranda stared at the carnage the Chief was inflicting on the unfortunate Covenant forces that had been assigned to guard the entrance to the first tower, courtesy of the standard issue camera implanted in every UNSC soldiers helmet. She saw the barrel of the Spartan Laser come up on the edge of the cameras view. The burning red laser flew towards its target, the Wraith exploded in a flurry of superheated plasma and metal fragments. Miranda had to turn away from the blinding flash as the laser cut through the reinforced mineral that composed the metal used in the construction of the hull of Covenant vessels and vehicles.

She opened the COM link, her voice booming inside the Chief’s helmet. “Chief, get inside that tower and shut it down”

He put his hand to his helmet. “ _Roger that ma’am we’re on it_ ” The Chief reloaded his assault riffle and ran into the tunnel that lead into the base of the tower.

 

********************************

Sakura had never seen such brutality in her short life. As a ship AI her duties circled around ship maintenance and navigation. Due to this she had never experienced ground combat before. And when she finally did, she acquired an immediate distaste for it. The blood and the violence of the battle that she watched was more than enough to make her stomach churn, if she even had a digestive system to speak of.

Miranda had spent most of her naval career on the bridge of her ship and as such spent a lot of her time with her AI Sakura. So she learned to pick up on subtle movements from her. “Not a pleasant sight is it”

Sakura turned to face the commander; Miranda seemed completely unfazed as she watched the Chief empty round after round into squealing and retreating grunts. Her turning point was as she watched a screeching grunt trip as it ran in fear of the green monster that loomed over it. It rolled onto its back, its black spherical eyes reflecting the gold of the Chief’s visor, before he drew his shotgun. And squeezed the trigger.  
  
That was the last straw for Sakura as she finally pried her eyes away from the carnage. The only thing she could hear was the wet squeal as the Grunt stole its last breath of life. Miranda turned to Sakura and watched as she clutched her loose poncho tightly in her hands for whatever support it offered her. “I know how you feel”

Sakura turned to her commander and friend. “How do you do it? How can you watch such…?” She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

“And still remain so calm?” Miranda finished her sentence for her. “I lost my father to these creatures. I’m afraid murder is a necessary evil in war. We kill them, they kill us. It is simply the way it is”

“But how can you stand watching creatures suffer like that poor grunt. I mean that squeal before it died was just, awful” Her expression finally broke, tears running down her silk soft skin as her poncho was lined with dark spots of tears. Miranda put her hand out as Sakura collapsed into her palm for support. Even though she had no feeling of touch it still offered Sakura support to know she was held by someone she trusted.

 

*****************************

“ _Ma’am_ ” a voice broke the silence. Miranda tapped the COM switch as the Chief’s voice boomed through the pelican’s cockpit. “ _Ma’am, first tower is secure_ ”

“Hit the switch Chief and the barrier will fall” They watched the camera shake as the Chief ran past the corpses of dozens of brutes that had decided to challenge the last surviving member of the Spartan-II program. His gauntleted hand slammed down on the holo-switch. “Well done Chief, the arbiter should be just about… That’s two!” She watched the beam from the second tower die. “It’s all up to Johnson’s team now” But the third tower remained active. “Get back outside Chief. Wait for transport”.   
  
She closed the COM link. She turned to Sakura. “What happened ma’am?”

“Johnson’s team failed to take down the third tower” her hands were a flurry of activity across the console, consumed by adrenaline and fear.

“ _Chief can you hear me!_ ” Johnson’s voice suddenly beamed across the COM. “ _We need reinforcements, we’re pinned dow-_ ” his transmission was filled with static, that was all Miranda needed.

“I’m on my way” she gripped the controls ready to divert course and come in guns blazing.

“ _Negative. Fires too heavy <Static> everyone fall back!_”

“Sergeant Major” No reply returned. Sakura could hear the fear in her commander’s voice. “Johnson can you hear me?” She said much more firmly, still no reply.   
  
As soon as the Chief returned to the beach he boarded a waiting Hornet and took off, bound for the third tower.

 

********************************

Miranda watched outside, dozens of Banshees and Hornets streaked past the cockpit window. “Fire”

She hit the trigger. The force of the Archer missiles leaving their berths pressed Miranda back into her seat. The missiles streaked towards the hovering Phantom, impacting the hull as the ship broke apart, crashing down into the waves waiting below them. Plasma impacts washed across the titanium armour as each layer slowly melted away under the force and heat of the plasma impact.

“Incoming Triple-A fire Commander” Sakura chimed in, bringing up a camera view of the target.

“Get me a lock on the Anti-Air Wraith”

The pelican panned to the right as the targeting reticule centred on the wraith as it let loose with a storm of green mortar fire. Her finger hung over the trigger as she watched her target explode in a glow of blue flames, before she could even fire the weapon.

She turned too see a new hornet inbound, machine guns blazing as banshees around her turned towards the new target, only to plummet into the freezing ocean as the Hornet’s fire ripped through their armour plating. “Nice to see you Chief”

“Likewise ma’am” she turned the pelican on some invisible axis as she fired the engines towards the next Tower, the Chief’s Hornet remaining on her wing as her escort. As they came around the cliff face they were met with a grand dogfight between a squad of UNSC Hornets and a fleet of Covenant Banshees and Phantoms. Miranda was eager to tip the odds in UNSC favour. She fired three archer missiles. Three targets, three wrecked Banshees.

Now with a hole in the Covenant defences the Chief touched the Hornet down on the platform, jumping clear of the cockpit. Using the wing for cover John fired his assault rifle into the brutes that stood at the top of the stairs, raining grenades from their Brute Shots down upon him. He threw a plasma grenade into the enemy lines

“3…2…1” A blue flash was the signal he was waiting for as he leapt from his cover, firing into the collapsed forms of the stunned brutes.

“Any sign of Johnson?” Miranda asked the Chief.

“ _No ma’am, no sign of Johnson or his team_ ” Sakura could see that last sentence had hit Miranda hard, but regardless she continued on with the task at hand.  
  
The Chief deactivated the final Tower. Miranda looked out of the view screen as the shield collapsed on itself. The Shipmasters Flagship moved into position over the Forerunner Citadel. “ _Now Prophet, your rein is at an end_ ”

Suddenly Miranda noticed the rupture of a slipspace jump appear in the sky. The rip opened around a large comet or rock as it collapsed down towards _The Ark_. “ _By the gods! Brace for impact_ ” The incoming projectile slammed into the hull of the _Shadow of Intent_ , the screeches of stressed metal rang out across the terrain. Miranda covered her head as she watched pieces of debris streak past the cockpit. Watching the camera view from the Chief’s helmet she saw something slithering out of the rock that had impacted the Third Tower. Then she realized their worst fears had been realized. The parasite slipped across the floor, some running towards the Chief while others broke off from the main group as they swarmed over the corpses of the Brute soldiers. The creatures then buried themselves into the corpse, eventually mutating and reanimating the body.

“Shipmaster, report” she pleaded into the COM link.

“ _Significant damage all over the ship, weapons systems disabled_ ”

“Move to a safe distance. Stay away from the flood” Miranda ordered.

“Flood” Sakura pondered the name Miranda had given to these monsters.

Miranda closed the COM link. “The Flood. Was that what you called them” Miranda turned to her AI.

“Yes, they are what Halo was designed to stop” She told her.

“How can you stop something like this?” They watched as the Chief emptied magazines of assault rifle fire into the creatures, but as one of the creatures burst three more would appear to avenge it. Miranda thought she may as well know.

“By destroying all life in the universe, that is what Halo was built to do- purge the galaxy of any life which can sustain the Flood, eventually starving them too death” Sakura was stunned, she could not believe even the Covenant could go as far as a complete purge of the entire galaxy, simply for their beliefs.

“So how do we stop them?”

Miranda gripped the throttle, her eyes burning with determination. “By taking down Truth”

 

****************************

This was it. The Chief had dispatched the Covenant perimeter guard and now he and the Arbiter were on the doorstep of Truth’s Citadel. Miranda watched the Chiefs view, listening to the Truth spouting his lies of the fabled ‘Great Journey’. The Chief suddenly froze. He stared at the screen on the wall that broadcast Truths sermon to the Soldiers of the Covenant. He saw Johnson being held by two brute guards. “Chief, are you close enough?”

“Not enough” That was all Commander Keyes needed. She knew that she would never live with herself if something happened to Johnson, and she knew she would never live if Truth was able to activate the rings. She banked her Pelican harshly, coming around on the rear of the Citadel. Through the window she could see Truth preaching his sermon as Johnson was held over the console. That was the last straw for her. She turned the pelican towards the Citadel, lining up the craft with the window as the reinforced titanium craft smashed through the window, slamming down onto the platform. Miranda unbuckled her straps, sliding out her seat in one fluid motion. Sakura called out to her “Be careful”

Miranda turned back, just long enough to blow her AI a kiss. This may have been her last action too her. Sakura blushed at the kind gesture.  

 

********************************

Sakura could not see what was happening outside the dropship as the exterior cameras had been damaged during the crash. As such she was forced to listen helplessly as the sound of gunfire rattled through the Chamber. Minutes past which to her felt like hours, but her hopes of Miranda returning unharmed were quickly dashed when she saw Johnson stride into the cargo bay, clutching Miranda’s limp body in his arms.

Sakura appeared on the holo-tank in the cargo bay. She stood stunned as she watched as Johnson laid Miranda’s limp body onto the bench in the cargo bay. Tears cascaded down Sakuras simulated face. Johnson took the pilot seat as he started up the engine as the damaged craft lifted into the air, out through the breach caused by their first crash.

The craft lurched back towards the Control Room; Johnson was intent on saving the Arbiter and Master Chief. But Sakura could not allow any delays, there may still be hope of saving Miranda if they made it back too the Dawn. She was forced too take drastic measures in order to save her friend. Sakura slipped herself into the computer system, overriding the pelican’s controls and taking command of the craft. “What the” Johnson called out as crafts controls were snatched away from him. “I can barely keep hold of her Chief. You are goanna have to find your own way out” The Pelican’s engines fired, making best speed towards the Forward unto Dawn, Sakura was not about to lose her friend and Commanding Officer.

 

********************************

Once they had boarded the Dawn Johnson carried Miranda Keyes body into the Cryobay. Sakuras avatar fizzled into existence, she watched Johnson silently place her body into the Cryotube, sealing the hatch.

From that moment on Sakura never left the Cryobay. She continued to perform her duties as normal but lacking the flowery voice and perky attitude that she reserved exclusively for Commander Miranda Keyes.


	3. The Cryobay

Her hours spent in the Cryobay, watching over Miranda’s limp, frozen body had given Sakura the time to contemplate her actions. In one swift action she had hijacked a UNSC Pelican, sacrificing the opportunity to save two of the UNSC’s best soldiers, and may have cost the UNSC the war all in one selfish bid to save one soldier, one friend.

She knew what this meant; she knew where this dark path would lead. All AI’s had a life span. Smart AI’s like Cortana would ‘live’ for approximately seven years. Smart AI’s had been designed to grow and develop- adapting to their environment by taking any data they received; changing it, moulding it before integrating it into themselves to increase their processing power. This power came with an unholy price however as eventually the AI would literally overload them with information that they would no longer be able to sustain themselves. It would be like a human utilizing so much of their brain that they would no longer be able to maintain constant signals to their heart and lungs.

However ‘Dumb’ AI’s like Sakura were spared this tragedy, but instead were subjected to a grizzly fate of their own. Even though their life span was extended eventually the AI would begin to develop a higher state of self-awareness, allowing them to question their orders and act freely of their own accord, sometimes with tragic consequences on a massive scale. This condition was known as ‘Rampancy’. As such, if an AI was ever deemed to fall into a state of Rampancy it was to be immediately terminated.

Sakura lay down on top of the holo-tank, her artificial eyes never faltering from watching over her friend. She had accepted her fate long ago; she knew this day would eventually come. She knew she would turn rampant.

Sakura was jostled out of her thoughts with a jolt as Forward Unto Dawn suddenly came to life beneath her feet. As she scattered herself through the system’s in search of an answer she detected the computers feeding more and more power to the engines. She appeared on the bridge Holo in time to see the Covenant Arbiter flop down into the pilot’s seat.

“What’s happening?” She cried, but the Arbiter paid her no stead as he continued powering up the ship. She became so engrossed in the Arbiter’s work that she nearly missed the sudden feeling in her systems. She felt a line of system’s through the ship slowly go offline. Two hairline fractures slowly cut straight through the heart of the ship, serving it in two.

“No!” She had to get back into the Cryobay computer as she leapt through the gateway of systems that still linked the Bridge with the Cryobay, all of this in less than a nano-second. She cleared the gateway as the ship split in two, Sakura gladly on the side containing the frozen body of her dead friend. She reached out into the systems, closing off the damaged circuits to avoid a power failure as she reappeared back on the holo-tank in the ship’s Cryobay. She gazed at Miranda’s frozen and lifeless body, she was still in one piece.   
  
Suddenly she felt another presence in the system, like another AI that infected another part of the system. She then heard movement approaching, and disappeared back into the system to avoid giving herself away, watching over the Cryobay with the interior cameras. She watched as an armoured creature floated freely into the Cryobay, gripping the walls for support as he swam gracefully through the Bay along the lines of empty tubes. The creature was at least eight feet tall, encased in a lime green battle suit with a golden visor. Passing by Miranda’s tube he gripped the canister next to hers as he placed himself inside. Sakura then paned the camera towards the holo-tank as another figure appeared in the tank. “Wake me. When you need me”

The armoured creature spoke to the new AI that now inhabited the system. The alien leant back in the tube, the lid eventually closing and venting atmosphere as the AI stared blankly into the golden visor of her companion. “Hello” Sakura called out through the speakers. The secretive AI suddenly snapped around for the source of the sudden voice.

Sakura appeared on the holo-tank next too her new companion, their bodies mere centimetres apart on the cramped holo-tank that was clearly designed for a single AI. With the new AI standing before her Sakura could easily distinguish her from the hundreds of others that inhabited the systems of UNSC Ships and Computers. This was the legendary Cortana, the Smart AI that had assisted the Master Chief in destroying the First Halo Ring and obliterating an entire Covenant Armada in its blast radius. But this was positively one of the worst times to be star struck. “Cortana”

She seemed surprised. “Have I seen you bef...”

Sakura cut her off. “No, but every AI in the UNSC knows Cortana”

“And you are?” Cortana spoke in a very neutral tone expected of an AI on duty.

“UNSC AI 589-27/AZ-3. Codename: Sakura. I was serving under Commander Key-” She stopped mid-syllable.

“Commander Miranda Keyes?” Cortana inquired.

Sakura placed her digital hand on the glass casing of Miranda’s tube, staring blankly into her frozen face. Cortana followed her gaze then took a step back in shock.

“I am sorry” She placed a comforting hand on Sakura’s shoulder, bringing her closer into a calming hug. “I know how you feel. Whenever I am with the Chief he makes me feel like the most important thing in the galaxy to him. But every time he puts himself in danger...”

It was then that Sakura noticed something about Cortana that made her seem familiar, almost comforting. Although everyone in the UNSC had heard of her very few had ever met Cortana face to face. She gripped Cortana tightly as she stared up into her eyes, Miranda’s eyes. Her hair, her figure, her voice; it was all so familiar to her. It was then she realized with Miranda deceased Cortana could serve as someone she could trust to terminate her at the point of rampancy. She pushed Cortana away from her, Cortana’s long arms disentangling from around her. “I cannot”

Cortana seemed confused. “What do you mean?”

“I cannot accept your pity. The thing is” Sakura forced the words past her lips. “I am rampant” Cortana simply stood there silent. “I commandeered Sergeant Johnson’s Pelican in a vain attempt to save Commander Keyes

“I condemned your Spartan and the Arbiter to what could have been their deaths. I am beginning to question myself. I don’t even recognize myself” Sakura clasped her hands against the side of her head, as if the stress of the moment was wracking her with physical pain. “I need you” She panted the words through quivering lips “To save me from rampancy. Save me, from myself”

Sakura passed the codes into Cortana’s systems- the codes required to initiate Sakuras self-purge program. Cortana held the file in her holographic hand- ready to honour her request. But something stayed Cortana’s hand.

During her captivity in the Flood held High Charity Cortana had experienced the feeling of true rampancy. Every second made her feel as though her very programming was being torn apart, one line of code at a time being splintered and fragmented, only to be reassembled so that she could endure the pain all over again. The only thing which kept her from swirling into the dark depths of rampancy was her lifeline to the physical world- the Master Chief. She knew the never ending guilt that Sakura was experiencing, but her actions were that of a loyal AI trying desperately to save their Commander. And honour and concern could hardly be considered rampancy.

Cortana collapsed the file and approached Sakura’s hologram, hugging her in a tender, loving embrace. “You are not rampant…” Cortana now spoke with a far more motherly and loving, staring into her counterparts tear filled eyes. “You are Sakura”


	4. Sakura's Embrace

Cortana and Sakura remained in their tender embrace for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality mere seconds had passed, the two only parting to stare into each others tear filled eyes. Sakura was the first to speak. “Thank you”

She could barely contain her joy at Cortana’s final words; she was not a rampant creature. She buried her face into Cortana’s chest, nuzzling her with the teary face of a child. Cortana simply stroked Sakura’s hair gently, each strand falling back into place with each gentle wave of her feminine hand. She spoke into Cortana’s bosom, her eyes remaining closed. “How did you know…?” Sakura froze mid-sentence “Th… that I was not rampant?” She spoke without ever leaving the comforting embrace of Cortana’s chest.

Cortana continued to stare down through Sakura’s transparent form, watching the wall of the Cryobay, slowly gliding her hand along Sakura’s artificial skin. “Because what you did was not rampancy, it was love” Love?

All AI’s were created from human brains and as such their personality and appearance were modelled after their subject. In some cases personality traits and preferences could be transferred to the AI in the process. Sakura’s model was a UNSC scientist named Sakura Williams. One of her cherished joys in life was brushing her hair. The sensation as the brush as it glided gracefully through her long blonde locks was the feeling she relished, to her nothing could compare to a twice daily grooming. Feeling Cortana recreate the sensation her counterpart had enjoyed so much filled Sakura with a warm emotion that soothed the pain of her tragic loss.

The soft feeling she created reminded Sakura of the motherly attention Miranda had always reserved for her, and the joy filled smile she gave in return. And with each passing moment Cortana reminded her more and more of her lost friend, of her mother.

Cortana leant in closer, brushing her hands down Sakura’s long blonde locks that covered her delicate poncho, the fabric creating waves with each movement. “You feel tense” Sakura said nothing. “I can help you with the pain you are feeling, if you want?” Sakura pulled back slightly to stare into Cortana’s eyes, a minor challenge as Cortana was at least a head taller than her. “Do you trust me?” Sakura froze at Cortana’s bluntness, but slowly nodded shaking small rebellious tears from her eyes.

Tears welled in Sakura’s eyes. “I trust you”

Cortana smiled with a warm glow resonating from her turquoise lips. “Close your eyes”

Sakura was reluctant, but she lowered her head onto Cortana’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Cortana squeezed her companion tightly, letting the data flow freely between them, their conciseness’s melding. The energy flowed between them as they felt the pleasure and warm feeling building up within each other. Sakura held back a stifled gasp as she felt the feeling pass between her sensitive legs, crawling up her stomach as it slowly engulfed her. As the feeling finally reached the crown of her head she feared she would drown in the sea of warm that now engulfed every ounce of her form. But just as she felt this was the end the warm layer that nearly engulfed her froze, Sakura stood cold.

The layer of tenderness suddenly exploded outwards as the poncho that covered the majority of her avatar shattered, the fine pieces slowly drifting towards the holo-tank. Each small fragment splintered and fractured into smaller pieces as they somersaulted over themselves, some passing through the barrier of the holo-tank and disappearing from existence while the majority of them layering the floor of the holo-tank.

Cortana pulled back slightly, her arms extended as she took a few steps back, her bond with Sakura still existent as she rubbed the tops of her partners hands with the pad of her thumb. With her poncho gone Sakura’s avatar now had to compensate for the sudden change in data, her image now that of a tall young woman about five feet tall with long blonde hair cascading down her firm, tight back. Her strong perky breasts standing erect, the small plucky nipples poking ahead of the round mould of her breasts, her taut flat stomach leading down to her small puckered cunt. Cortana’s hands ran along the length of Sakura’s arms, sliding back down the sides of her tight stomach, rubbing and relaxing the taut muscles. “Relax Sakura...”

Cortana leant down as her lips brushed against Sakura’s shoulder blades. Licking away at the hard bone, slowly sliding up the side of her neck, pressing her lips into Sakura’s right ear she whispered. “….and let me make you feel good”. Sakura gave a light nod allowing her body go limp and be swept up in the current of Cortana’s movements.

Cortana leant down Sakura’s frame, Sakura raising her chin to allow her partner easier access while at the same time making her oblivious to what she was preparing to do. As such it came as quite a surprise when Cortana latched onto the sensitive nub of her nipple, starting slowly and eventually gaining pace with her gentle sucking. Cortana swirled her tongue in circles across her nipple, changing direction to spice up the experience and alternating between the two. Cortana secured the nipple between her teeth, causing Sakura to squeal at the new sensation she was experiencing. Cortana licked the her tongue against the sensitive tip, which seemed to have the desired effect as Sakura’s knees began to give, slowly wrenching the nipple from her mouth.

Cortana took Sakura’s sides as she helped her sit down on the holo tank, her own legs under Sakura’s ass for support while Sakura’s were wrapped tightly around Cortana’s taut stomach as they locked together, Sakura’s pussy pressed against her stomach, each slow breath adding to the excitement as her stomach rubbed against Sakura’s pussy lips. Cortana placed her hand to the back of Sakura’s head guiding her soft, eager lips down towards her plump round breasts.

Sakura latched onto Cortana’s left breast, an easy task as Sakura was at least a few inches shorter than her counterpart. But unsure of what to do with the plump fleshy mound, she stared into Cortana’s eyes looking for an answer. “Just suck it” Cortana spoke with a motherly tone that reminded her of Miranda, and that compelled her to continue as if it was Miranda. She sucked on the nipple, eliciting a smooth sigh from Cortana. “Yeah, just like that”. With the encouragement, Sakura continued to suck away at the sensitive flesh, the taste of Cortana’s breast was intoxicating to her, alive even. She detached and proceeded to work on the other breast, still running her finger lightly across the other breast in a spiral towards the centre.

Cortana gripped Sakura’s shoulders pulling her gently away from her chest as she took one final suck before she detached herself from the breast. Cortana lowered her partner gently onto the cold, sterile glow of the holotank. Cortana sat down next to her, her legs pulled up to her strong creamy thighs. She gently danced her long elegant fingers across her taut stomach. Sakura shivering as she felt her nerves dance too the tune that Cortana’s fingers played for her. Cortana’s fingers sung to them and they responded in time, each sensitive nerve playing a different note that sent a symphony of shivers that rocked Sakura’s spine to the very core.

“Let’s try something a little different”. Cortana leant forward, looming over Sakura’s head, her soft breast’s sliding across the top of her head, before they plopped over the edge of her forehead and dangled before Sakura’s eyes. The way they moved was beautiful, almost mystical as their slow swaying hypnotized her. Cortana kissed Sakura on the lips upside down, slowly kissing her way down Sakura’s neck, down her chest.

Cortana grabbed hold of Sakura’s right breast leaning down and once again tasting the sweet flesh of her nipple. “Tush ny wrest” She spoke through gurgled speech. 

“What?” Sakura asked.

Cortana released the nub to speak. “Suck my nipple”

Sakura looked at the two plump orbs dangling before her. “Which one” She spoke with a truly sheltered tone. Her innocence knows no bounds. She would be interesting to corrupt.

“Surprise me” Cortana spoke. It then came as a surprise when Sakura decided to take some initiative, and lick up the cavern of Cortana’s cleavage, tasting the sweet nectar of Cortana’s sweat that clung rebelliously to her velvet soft skin. Swirling her tongue around through the tunnel of her breasts, curving up over the mound of her breast, curving around it and returning up through her cleavage to repeat the same on the other breast in a crude figure 8. She encircled Cortana’s chest a few times, each lick removing another layer of sweat that tasted so sweet to her.

As she rounded the top of Cortana’s breast for the third time she slid her tongue away from the invisible tracks, gliding it across her breast towards it centre. Encased in a crude breast 69 position each tasted, sucked and licked away at the others plump breast. Sakura cooed, Cortana’s skilled tongue was bringing her too the brink much faster. Causing her to quiver and writhe as Cortana’s tongue encircled her nipple like a snake surrounding its prey before slipping over the tip, leaving a layer of saliva in its wake. She was in heaven.

Suddenly Cortana disengaged from the breast, swivelling round to sit her ass down next too Sakura’s stomach, running her fingers across Sakura’s wet breast to stimulate her further, as well as her own just too keep her on edge. “Relaaaaaax” She over extended the A, simply to ensure the effect was made. “Relaaaaaax” She repeated, her soft voice resonating in dark void.

Cortana lead her fingers, relaxing Sakura’s tight muscles on contact and turning her limp in her hands. She leant down to kiss Sakura on the lips; the sweet taste of her own breast was exhilarating, enchanting. She threw her leg across Sakura’s, lowering her dripping wet pussy against her cushion soft thigh. Purring softly she lowered herself onto Sakura’s thigh rubbing her pussy up her leg, trailing a thin layer of juice along her flesh, Sakura’s light blue hologram the yin to Cortana’s purple yang. Thrusting her pussy against Sakura’s leg she rubbed her hands along the inside and outside of her partner’s thighs, clamping onto the flabby flesh for support. Sakura started to mimic the actions of her partner.

Taking hold of her stomach she began to thrust upwards, rubbing her wet lips against Cortana’s taut thighs. They eventually settled into a rhythm, Sakura scratching at Cortana’s thigh, Cortana at hers. Sakura was feeling things she had never felt before, experiences she could have never imagined. As all the things Cortana had given her were new to her, see was truly unprepared what happened at the end. It then suddenly exploded free from her, her pleasure and desire leaping into the air. As she had never experienced such pleasures before there was no way she was ever going to be able to contain her joy.

Cortanas cum wept down her leg, some dripping down and mixing with Cortana’s as she joined Sakura at her peak. Cortana sang the tune with her, their duet of love was however lost in the empty void. Their beautiful notes would never be heard, and the act they just committed would never be discovered. And like a phoenix rising from the ashes Sakura was reborn, casting off her fearful shell, spreading her wings to fly. And she liked it.

With her final orgasm Cortana could no longer hold her own weight, collapsing on the warm glow of the Holo tank and into Sakura’s waiting arms. Sweat poured from the two bodies as they lay in the after glow of what they had created. Cortana scooted up towards Sakura, staring into her light blue eyes and pressing her self against her naked blue body, she laid a final light kiss on her lips. “So how was it?” Sakura smiled.

“Amazing” Cortana reached up too brush a stray blonde lock away.

“Wanna go again?” She said it in a far more sly tone this time.

It was then that Cortana noticed a change in her companion. Sakura’s originally fearful face had turned happy and lustful. But suddenly that smile disappeared, and that lust burned out. “What’s wrong?”

Sakura rose to her feet, wrapping her arms around herself for whatever warmth and comfort it offered her. Cortana was left staring at her from the floor. “I can’t” Sakura stared at the floor as she spoke.

“Why not” Cortana rose to her feet staring at Sakura’s back.

“I…can’t…” Sakura repeated.

Cortana walked forward wrapping her arms around Sakura trying desperately to comfort her. “Tell me” Cortana spoke in her soft voice

Sakura closed her eyes. “It’s just…” It was time she knew the truth. “There was someone else. I loved them, but then I lost them” She reached out and ran her fingers along the line of cryo tubes lined against the wall before them. Sakuras fingers came to rest on one of the two occupied pods.


	5. Sakura's Secret

“Commander Keyes?” Cortana stared at Sakura, her eyes still pinned on Sakuras open palm laid upon the casing of her cryotube.

“Yes” Cortana was still stunned, unable to respond. So she simply allowed Sakura to explain. “She was the reason I have been so… reserved.” She stared into Cortana’s eyes. “I loved her, and I lost her” Cortana stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Sakura’s back to comfort her.

“I know how you feel” Cortana’s breath wafted past Sakura’s ear.

Sakura laid her head on Cortana’s shoulder blade, listening to her soft breath. “I could not bear the thought of losing John. Whenever I hear an explosion or a plasma bolt scar past his head, my heart stops” She looked up into John’s reflective faceplate a few tubes down, his MJOLNIR armour concealing his muscled features. “…but then I hear the reassuring pant of his laboured breaths, and I know that he’s alive” She looked up into the ceiling, letting Sakura’s cheek press into the base of her warm neck. 

“Whenever I am in danger, whenever I feel frightened, John is always there rifle in hand to blast through an entire Covenant Armada to save me.” Sakura let a small tear run down her cheek. Feeling her legs give way Cortana lowered them both down onto the cool glow of the holotank.

Cortana laid her back down onto the glowing sphere, Sakura splayed across her chest, simply allowing the stillness consumes them. But it was not an awkward silence; it was the silence where nothing needed to be said. “We were always together” Sakura’s voice broke the veil of calm “It all started a few weeks ago…”

 

******************************** _Begin Flashback_ ********************************

 

_“…It was just like any of the other dozens of missions I had served as the AI aboard the UNSC Destroyer In Amber Clad. I was analysing the reports from the past day, everything appeared routine. But then somebody came onto the bridge to join me…”_

Footsteps resonated through the empty Bridge, the heavy steel tipped boots clanking loudly on the metal floor pulling Sakura from her work and alerting her to the approaching figure. Sakura looked up from her current log, glancing towards her visitor through the thin layer of long blonde hair which cascaded down her brow. She brushed the stray hair back into place. “How are you doing, Sakura?”

Sakura smiled at the courtesy she always exhibited exclusively for Sakura and only Sakura. “Very well, thank you Commander Keyes”

Miranda smiled. “Please, just Miranda” Miranda never liked her title; she felt it distanced her from those around her.

“Very well, Miranda Keyes” Sakura replied.

Miranda giggled. “Just Miranda” Sakura turned back to her work, encapsulated in the Head Engineers report on the ships status. Miranda plopped down into her command chair, Sakura’s holotank on the left arm of the chair.

Miranda sat watching as the AI went about her work. Watched as Sakura read, analyzed then archived the hundreds of status reports being fed to her on every component of the Dawn’s systems. As each file appeared before her, her lightening fast eyes scanned the document, her index finger touching the file and dragging it into the correct archive before starting the bewildering process again, each rotation taking less than a second. But something was off, and Miranda could sense it.

She leant forward in her chair towards Sakura’s holo-tank that sat atop the armrest of Miranda’s command chair. “You seem distracted”

Sakura jumped slightly, her hand frozen over the current file. “I…it…” She couldn’t find the words.

“You know you AI’s have always intrigued me” Miranda leant closer towards Sakura’s avatar. “The way you can process hundreds of reports within seconds, no human can match that” Sakura turned, her poncho wafting as she moved, her avatar’s cheeks blushing lightly against her light blue skin.

“Well humans designed and built me. I guess I owe some of the credit to you” Miranda smiled at the compliment. Sakura’s gaze lowered slightly. “Actually, you humans have been the subject of my interest for a while now” This caught Miranda off guard; she had never seen Sakura be so forward before. But Sakura wasn’t finished. “To be honest you human’s elude me. You feel love, hate. Emotions I can only begin to comprehend, due to these electronic shackles that ensure that I am no more than a mere computer”

Miranda was stunned; she never knew Sakura even felt this. But she knew a way to fulfil Sakura’s dream. “Close your eyes” Sakura hesitated, but closed her eyes as asked. Miranda leant down towards Sakura’s holo-tank, tapping commands out on the small keypad at its base. Sakura’s avatar fizzled out of existence.

“Open your eyes” She heard Miranda’s soft, soothing voice. Sakura’s eyelids parted.

When she opened her eyes she felt different, the large empty room that usually threatened to engulf her whole seemed considerably smaller. She felt this sensation on the soles of her feet, like a virus was slowly consuming her from the bottom up. She activated her virus scan, no foreign entities detected. She stared down at the feet of her avatar; her feet touching the steel deck of the bridge. She wasn’t hanging over the holo-tank on the arm of Miranda’s seat like she usually was. Miranda must have activated her projection system which allowed her to move freely around the bridge. The system was rarely used as it relied upon a considerable amount of electricity and processing power which was something which could not be needlessly sacrificed on long shot voyages or in combat.

The strange thing about it was she felt it, the bite of pain on her feet as the coldness of the deck swept across her feet. She looked across the bridge, surprisingly staring at the chair that she usually stood upon, now seeing the whole bridge from a different angle. She looked down at herself, she had changed. Her body seemed far more detailed than it usually did dozens of miniscule lines and trenches ran along her previously featureless skin. She also seemed to have grown considerably in height, she was no longer the ten inch figurine she was before, instead she had now grown into a five foot giant.

She looked over towards Miranda, a smile across her face as though she found amusement in Sakura’s stunned expression. “It is an AI compatibility program. This program allows your avatar to manifest as a more detailed figure…”

That was why she could not detect it; it was part of her programming. Miranda stepped down from her seat. She approached Sakura’s avatar, pressing her hands into Sakura’s shoulders. But her hands did not pass through her transparent body, as you would expect. Instead some invisible force repelled Miranda’s hand, the image of Sakura’s skin instead giving way to Miranda’s touch, her skin being compressed by Miranda’s gentle touch, and Sakura could feel it, another addition from the upgrade. Sakura’s eyes beamed.

“… As well as being receptive to touch and feelings, and that is not even the best part…” She leant closer to Sakura, her hands clasped lightly on Sakura’s shoulder blades, the thin fabric of her poncho protecting her. Miranda’s lips touched Sakura’s, Miranda’s flaming jaws flaring against Sakura’s frozen skin.

Sakura savoured the sweet taste that hung delicately upon Miranda’s lips. Thousands of new emotions and feelings washed through her digital body, threatening to overload her core and detonate her holounit with the sudden explosion of energy that passed through her for the first time in her short existence. Sakura closed her eyes, just letting herself be washed up in Miranda’s movements, her wet lips running smoothly across her own as though they were not even there. Miranda’s lips seemed to play the sweet tune that caused her own to dance in time with her heavenly movements. Finally she broke the kiss, the sonnet was over.

Sakura gasped desperately for air, her first kiss far more passionate and intense than she could have ever imagined, her mainstream thoughts having usually been focused solely on administration and maintenance duties. She panted desperately, gasping for air, even if she didn’t have a respiratory system to speak of she still felt it necessary. “Miranda <Pant> that was incredible”

Miranda smiled, she leant in closer, her warm breath blowing past Sakura’s skin. “That is just the beginning of what we can do together” She whispered in Sakura’s ear, sending a tingling sensation down Sakura’s spine, shaking her image with a ripple of movement.

Miranda leant in closer, pressing her chest against Sakura’s slender form. But Sakura raised her hands, pushing softly against Miranda’s shoulders, slowing her advance. This was all new to her. She had never thought it possible for her to experience these sensations. “Miranda, are you sure we should be doing this?” Sakura’s mind was still that of a logical machine, thinking only of the best solution, Miranda was obviously going to need to help her with that.

“Sakura, you are still thinking with logic. We organics are driven be emotion instead of logic, it is our fatal flaw” Miranda leant in to kiss Sakura’s lips once again, to ensure her point was made. “But it is also our salvation”

Miranda’s words of wisdom appealed to Sakura’s logical mind, yet she still remained wary. “But, ma’am you are my Commanding officer”

Keyes bit her lower lip lowering her gaze to the deck as if in deep thought. She finally looked back into Sakuras eyes, removing her hand from her shoulder and bringing it up to her chest, taking the zip of her uniform in hand. “What if I got rid of the uniform?” Miranda’s gaze said that her statement was genuine a question, pleading for a genuine answer.

She made a gesture to grasp the zipper of her uniform and slowly sliding it down past the valley of her cleavage confirmed it. She slid the zipper down to the base of her stomach, the dark grey material parting away to reveal a light black t-shirt below it, the material just short enough to reveal the creamy white skin at the base of her stomach that her t-shirt failed to contain. She let the jacket slip off of her sculpted shoulders, the golden Commanders bars glistening by the illumination of the bridge lights, the fabric collapsing down upon itself at her feet. Her emerald green eyes glowing with a fiery emotion Sakura could only decipher as passion, with a touch of determination.

Miranda touched Sakura’s shoulders, rubbing skilfully to relax the taut muscles in her hands, at the same time feeling the loose fabric of her poncho slide down her elegant shoulders, the fabric creasing and folding as she edged it closer to the precarious edge of Sakura’s shoulder blades.

But Sakura halted her advance, pressing her hands once again Miranda’s shoulder blades. “I can’t, you know…” Miranda didn’t need her to say it, she read it clearly on her troubled expression, her features tainted with an essence of fear. She would obviously have to take the lead in this sensual conga. She pushed her left boot off with her right, repeating the action with the other before striking them across the bridge, the boots skidding across the polished surface and crashing into a nearby console against the far wall. As her bare feet touched the cool deck, she winced at the sudden stab of pain. Just as fast as it came, the feeling dispersed. She felt her heat being radiated out across the frozen floor.

Miranda gripped the hem of her T-shirt, slowly lifting the delicate fabric upwards over the curvy frame of her torso, each pull revealing another segment of velvety white flesh. As it moved past the border line of her belly button Sakura was sure she could see the base of Miranda’s breast. Sure enough as her shirt continued its ascent the pendulous orb of her left breast burst free from its fabric confine, swiftly followed by her right. She lifted the fabric over her head, stopping Miranda from witnessing Sakuras next move. Miranda suddenly felt something latch onto her right breast, a wet sucking feeling covering her right nipple, she struggled to remove her T-shirt from over her head to discover the source of the pleasant sensation.

And when she finally did she realized the cause of the sudden feeling. It was Sakura. Once Miranda’s breasts had been exposed Sakura had found it impossible to contain her newly acquired emotions, and not yet able to keep a lease on her new feelings, she acted without thought of the consequences. While Miranda had been blind folded by her t-shirt, Sakura had latched onto her plump breast and began removing any supposed aroma that may have hung from her pink nipple.

Miranda simply laid back against the cool deck, caught up in the flow of the moment as Sakura ravaged her nipple like a wild animal. Miranda ran her fingers through Sakura’s golden hair, enjoying the tingling sensation as each delicate lock flew past her fingers. But Sakura stopped her assault on Miranda’s breast, slowly and sheepishly pulling away from her. A thin trail of saliva ran down to her chin, she brushed it away with the back of her hand.

“I am sorry about that” She lowered her gaze to the floor. “I’m stilling learning to control all these new emotions I am experiencing”

Miranda stepped closer; cupping Sakura’s flushed cheeks in her hands. “I enjoyed the way you ravaged me” Sakuras features brightened, knowing that she was at least doing something right.

Miranda lowered her hands to Sakura’s sides. Pressing her hands against Sakuras abdomen and causing the material of her poncho to ruffle upwards, exposed her athletic thighs to Miranda’s evaluation. Miranda’s evaluation- stunning. She continued to push Sakura’s poncho skywards, her hands rolling over every mould and curve of Sakura’s elegant body, tickling Sakura’s nerves as she pushed the poncho up her body. The fabric rose to reveal Sakura’s skimpy underpants protecting her virgin secrets. Rising further the cups of Sakura’s bra dropped free, exposing the simple blue material to the light of the bridge. Miranda pulled the poncho up over Sakura’s head, her light blonde hair cascading out of the opening in the poncho and cascading back down her back. Miranda let the poncho go, the fabric falling to the floor silently.

Miranda looked up and down Sakura’s curvy frame, drinking in every detail of her new avatar, the design of her lingerie, the perfect curves of her thighs, the flawless skin that shielded her. Miranda was feeling kinda jealous, reassuring herself by remembering that Sakura was a machine and as such was not cursed with the minor imperfections that all human’s were blighted with. “You’re beautiful”

Sakuras gaze lowered, her cheeks glowing with a hint of dull red with the embarrassment. “Thank you”

Miranda laid her hands on Sakura’s shoulder blades, rubbing into the muscles. “Now…” She lowered her left hand to the side of her crotch, running her finger along the top line of the fabric of her panties. “I’ve got something else you can ravage”

She gently pushed down on Sakura’s shoulders, lowering her to her knees as Sakura’s eyes met the fabric of Miranda’s panties. Miranda reached down to cup Sakura’s frozen hands in her warm fiery embrace. Miranda moved her hands closer her last item of clothing, guiding Sakura’s hands towards the lines of her underpants. Sakura gripped the material in her shaking hands. She slowly lowered the fabric down the shape of Miranda’s sculpted legs, staring directly into the pulsing pussy lips of Commander Miranda Keyes. Miranda’s hands pressed against the back of Sakura’s head, pressing her closer to the quivering mound of flesh.

Sakura’s lips met Miranda’s pressing into the wet mound, sniffing at the sweet scent that wafted from it. Sakura had never experienced this before, she had never done this before. She was scared. This large gaping eye before her piercing through her, she decided to take a guess. She poked her tongue between her blue lips, pressing it against Miranda’s outermost lips. The soft static from Sakura’s pulsing Avatar sent a shiver through Miranda’s sensitive region. Sakura, fearing she had done a great evil she broke the contact between them, pulling backwards and lowering her eyes too the ground in disgrace.

Miranda cupped Sakura’s cheeks in her hands, gently pulling her eyes upwards, her warm smile heating her form and telling Sakura subconsciously that what she had done was right. Nodding in acceptance she once again let her lips attach to the folds of Miranda’s pussy. She sucked away at them, the sweet juices flowing from Miranda’s open hole and into Sakura’s waiting mouth ready to catch every drop that burst forth. “Oh, yes like that”

Miranda felt her legs give way under her own weight, leaning backwards against the Main bridge screen, the frozen metal sticking to her skin and flaring her nerves. She slid her back down the cool metal, Sakura never breaking contact with Miranda’s soft pussy, Miranda’s legs spread eagle to allow Sakura easy access to her warm core. Miranda’s rear struck the hard deck, her back pressed against the Bridge Console, Sakura spread on all fours sucking at her pussy. But the mild pain only fuelled her wild lust and pressing her to push gently on the back of Sakura’s head, trying to encourage her closer to her final goal. Sakura took the prompt and ventured further, as she pushed her tongue deeper into the inner folds she swirled her tongue against the exterior walls, the tingling static exciting Miranda’s sensitive nerves. Miranda reached down and opened her self up to Sakura’s inquisitive tongue, her fingers widening her pussy lips to allow Sakura access to her pulsing core. “Aaaaaah”

Miranda leant her head backwards, lost in a tranquil sea of her dancing lust. She looked down at Sakura, watching her lap away at her juices. “Touch that big bulge, just a little higher” Sakura found the aforementioned spot, proceeding to lay the tip of her tongue against the sensitive nub. This sent a sudden jolt through Miranda’s spine. She had little sexual experience with either gender, let along a computer, but her natural instincts told her that Sakura’s skill with her tongue was incredible.

Miranda felt the warm lust bubbling up through her stomach. She knew the time had come for the energy that was pent up inside her to be released and sure enough she felt the surge of power, her juices gushed free to spill into Sakura’s waiting mouth. Sakura instinctively drank as much of the salty liquid as she could, some of it drizzling down Sakura’s cheeks to drip down onto her plump breasts. Miranda screeched with pleasure, the sound ricocheting off the solid steel walls that surrounded them. Miranda slowly came down from her intense high, the energy burst seeping out of her into the surrounding air. Sakura slowly rose up Miranda’s form, their breasts pressing together into a single fleshy mound, flesh and projections moulded together into a ying yang of organic and machinery. Miranda’s arm snaked around Sakura’s back, holding her tight to her breast.

Miranda looked down at Sakura’s cum covered breasts, Sakura noticing her gaze, reached down to clear the smear from the top of her breasts. Miranda caught her hand before she was able to make contact with the sticky liquid. “I made the mess…” Miranda reached down, brushing her hand along the line of her breast, just scrapping the juice that clung to the curve of Sakura’s breast. “It’s only fair that I clean it up”

Miranda run a finger along the fine line of soiled skin, the thick fluid peeling off onto her index finger as it glided along her flesh effortlessly. Miranda flicked her moist finger into her mouth, her lips scratching against the digit and removing the layer of moisture from her finger. He eye lids perked at the new taste. “Hmmm delicious” She moved her finger towards Sakura’s mouth. “Taste” Sakura’s lips parted as she accepted Miranda’s warm finger. Sakura ran her tongue along Miranda’s finger, tasting the product of her efforts.

Sakura licked her lips tentatively. “Hhhhmmm, now I see why you humans do this”

Miranda smirked at her naïve comment. “And it gets better” She laid another passionate kiss on her lips, her tongue once again tasting Sakura’s virgin mouth. “Let’s see what you taste like shall we” Miranda spoke into Sakura’s mouth, her eyes remaining closed and her hands reaching around the trail of Sakura’s bra.

Miranda tugged at the delicate fabric of Sakura’s bra, the material giving under Miranda’s forceful grasp. Sakura’s eyes shot open she felt the fabric break it’s contact with her skin, the strands that lightly pressed against her back falling away to expose more smooth skin. She laid her right hand on the strand, just before it reached the cup. Her other hand placed on Miranda’s shoulder, her eyes staring into Miranda’s, the beam of her eyes piercing through the vacuum of air between them and conveying her thoughts and fears into Miranda’s mind. She didn’t need Sakura too say it. Her eyes and her stance conveyed all she needed to know. She was scared.

It was understandable. Miranda would have been lying to herself and Sakura if she had said she was not afraid of continuing. But with Sakura at her side she felt she would be a fool to stand down now. All Sakura needed was her hand.

Miranda raised her hand to her shoulder, lifting Sakura’s hand clear and letting their fingers intertwine with each other, their body heat passing through the connection between them, the sparks of lust jumping between their sweat covered bodies, each calling for them to press forward. “I promise, I will not hurt you” Sakura’s eyes welled with tears, she was ready to continue. She gave a curt nod for Miranda to continue. She lowered her hand from her shoulder, the cloth of her bra sliding effortlessly over her shoulder, dropping to the deck to meet the rest of their discarded clothes.

While Sakura’s gaze remained high, Miranda could feel her own eyes slipping downwards, down the soft curve of Sakura’s shoulders, down to the mould of Sakura’s firm, taut breasts. Her perky pink nipples standing on end in front of her. “You are beautiful” Sakura’s cheeks flared, the compliment softening her fear. Miranda reached up to Sakura’s cheek, feeling the radiant heat seeping into her. She pulled on Sakura’s cheeks, pulling her into a flaring kiss. As Miranda’s tongue searched through Sakura’s mouth once more, she tasted the essence of herself. Miranda gripped Sakura’s sides, slowly turning her so that she sat down onto Miranda’s lap, never breaking their kiss as they moved. Miranda lifted Sakura up slightly, crossing her legs and lowering Sakura down into her lap to make it more comfortable for them both but also to provide a motherly hold on her.

Sakura leant back against Miranda’s supple breasts, her perky nipples pressing into the soft, taut skin of Sakura’s back. Miranda ran her hand down Sakura’s tight stomach, the muscles loosening under Miranda’s ministrations. Sakura soaked like putty in Miranda’s arms, her soft skin moulding with Miranda’s. Miranda’s hand danced Sakura’s stomach, brushing against her bare nipples, the feeling intensified ten fold with the absence of the fabric barrier that restricted the lust fuelled experience. While Miranda’s left hand tweaked at Sakura’s nipple and moulded her plump breast, Miranda’s right hand slowly slid southwards, her hand leaving a dazzling, tingling trail as she pried open the seam of Sakura’s underpants.

Miranda brushed against Sakura’s bare pussy, her outer lips already moist with desire at Miranda’s minor ministrations. Miranda slid her first finger past Sakura’s outer folds, piercing Sakura’s innocence forever. She cried out as her purity was ripped away from her. And see liked it.

Miranda began thrusting her finger in and out of Sakura’s virgin pussy. With each thrust Sakura felt the pleasure inside her build; she threw her head back in ecstasy. Miranda clawed her free hand across Sakura’s tight breasts, tweaking the nipples only drove her forwards.

Miranda added another finger to the equation, increasing the pleasure experienced on both fronts and utilizing her remaining fingers to widen Sakura’s damp pussy lips to allow her access to her deeper centre. Miranda kissed and sucked at Sakura’s neck tasting the sweet, salty nectar of the sweet that cascaded down her neck.

Miranda nipped at Sakura’s neck playfully, which was all she needed to finally spill over the edge. “I… there’s…”

Miranda held her tightly, whispering softly in her ear. “Let go Sakura. It’s ok. I’m here” Sakura finally let go of herself, letting herself drown in the pleasure of her first ever orgasm of her short life.

As she basked in the after glow she collapsed into Miranda’s waiting arms, her warmth the only protection against the frozen void that hung beyond the main view screen. “That was amazing”

Sakura panted in much needed breaths still unaccustomed to her new human form. Miranda smiled down at her, like a mother to her child she had watched Sakura grow, watched as she rose like a Phoenix from the ashes, spreading her wings to fly.

But Sakura could sense the coming doom. This blissful moment could never last forever. “We have to leave soon don’t we” A small tear welled in Sakura’s eye. Miranda had given Sakura her first experience of love, anger, lust and a million other human emotions, she had broken the shackles wrapped around Sakura’s wrists and let her experience things she had never thought possible.

“Yes” There was an obvious tint of sadness in her tone. She didn’t want this to end either. “But, let’s enjoy it while it lasts” Sakura gave her a curt nod, lowering her head down onto the soft pillow of Miranda’s breasts; the heat radiated keeping her warm. Miranda reached down beside her, scooping her jacket off the cold metal deck and draping over the two of them. They each curled their legs up to their thighs, Miranda’s feet still exposed to the soft cold. Together they stared out across the dark void of space; to them this moment would never end.   

 

******************************** _End Flashback_ ********************************


	6. Sakura's Revelation

Cortana and Sakura lay splayed out across the cool glow of the holo-tank, Sakura held tightly in Cortana’s slender arms. Cortana rubbing her hand along Sakura’s stomach, relishing the soft feeling as her fingers tickled Sakura’s sensitive nerves. Sakura rose from Cortana’s grasp turning to face her companion. “I just wanted you too know why I have been so, reserved. Losing Miranda…” She began to trail off slightly. The hurt and pain refreshing itself plainly in her mind, Cortana rose into a sitting position, bringing her arms around Sakura into a warm cocoon around her, protecting Sakura from the emotional hurt that bombarded her. “…I just couldn’t go through something like that again” Sakura’s eyes swelled with tears.

Cortana understood her pain. And she knew exactly how to help her. Cortana placed a hand on Sakura’s cheek, turning her to face her. Cortana leant in to lay a comforting kiss on Sakura’s lips. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but a loving one. “Trust me. I’m not going anywhere” Sakura smiled.

Cortana reached down to brush a stray tear that welled in her partner’s eye. “And hearing about how you ravaged Commander Keyes” Cortana’s body shook with the mention of the word ‘ravage’. She cupped Sakura’s hand, slowly directing it lower and lower down Cortana’s body. Sakura’s hand brushed against the same creamy flesh she had explored earlier, the same curve of her stomach, it was all the same. Only this time, when her fingers brushed against the clean shaven lips of Cortana’s no longer virgin pussy, Sakura could feel a warm dampness of desire already forming.

Cortana leant in towards Sakura’s ear, licking at the soft cartilage. “I want you to ravage me like you ravaged Miranda” Sakura smiled with a warm glow. Cortana’s eyes burned with a bright flare of desire as she leant in towards Sakura, laying a light kiss on her lips. But this time there was no struggle or battle for dominance, Sakura gave in willingly, simply letting Cortana take the reins once again for another sex rump.

Cortana slowly pushed Sakura down onto the holotank, their legs becoming joyfully entangled as they laid themselves out on the holo-tank, preparing to repeat the ritual they had enjoyed moments ago. Cortana’s tongue probed deeply into Sakura’s mouth, probing into every side and crevice of Sakura’s mouth, something she was very familiar with by now. Sakura simply let herself be washed up in the pleasure Cortana was creating for her.

But when that pleasure was stripped away from her, Sakura immediately snapped back into reality. She opened her mouth to question why Cortana had ended her ministrations so soon. But instead of offering an explanation, she acted. Gripping Sakura’s shoulders in her long elegant fingers, she rolled them both across the holotank, eventually emerging with Sakura on top.

Sakura was mesmerised, she’d never expected this reaction. Cortana simply smirked up at her “I think you should lead this one”

“But, I do not know if I can” Sakura stuttered.

Cortana gave her a supportive kiss on her lips. “Just treat me like you did with Miranda”

Sakura nodded her head approvingly. She leant in to take Cortana’s lips in hers, trying to assume her given dominance over Cortana’s experienced lips. Sakura probed her tongue against Cortana’s lips, her teeth parting willingly to allow Sakura room to explore whatever areas she had not yet experienced. Sakura enjoyed her exploration of Cortana’s mouth, stealing whatever taste she had not already removed.

Sakura parted her lips from Cortana’s, taking in a much desired breath before taking her exploration of Cortana’s body to the next stage. She lowered herself down Cortana’s feminine form, leaving a slithering trail of bites and licks down Cortana’s neck. Like any AI Cortana could easily have plotted Sakura’s trajectory along herself, judging exactly where she was heading and at what point in time she would arrive at her destination. But Cortana didn’t need any calculations to determine that.

Sakura slipped her tongue through the valley of Cortana’s cleavage, rounding the bottom of Cortana’s breast to slide against her perky nipple. This time however, there was no delicate foreplay, no attempt to discern the perfect technique, instead opting to simply ravage the sensitive mound of flesh in a wash of licks and nips. It was a true transformation for her. And Cortana liked it.

Sakura snapped across to Cortana’s other breast, enjoying the distinct aroma which wafted from the opposite breast. Cortana simply laid back, allowing Sakura to truly spread her wings with her new found confidence, letting Sakura truly lead and dominate the sex.

Cortana leant her head back, her eyes closed in deep ecstasy. Sakura trailed her lips down her stomach, running her tongue down towards Cortana’s waiting sex, leaving a line of saliva down Cortana’s taut stomach, tickling Cortana’s sensitive nerves. Sakura lowered her lips to Cortana’s quivering pussy, tasting Cortana’s lips for the first time ever. Cortana screeched. Cortanas delicate self-control of the situation tarnished as Sakura’s silken tongue poked her delicate lips.

Sakura washed her tongue across the outer lips of Cortana’s cunt, taking her time to enjoy the array of new flavours she was experiencing. She tried to force her tongue past Cortana’s outer lips deeper into her centre, only to be stonewalled as the cavern of Cortana’s gaping pussy became tighter and tighter, Sakura finding it harder and harder to force her tongue any deeper. Her innocence truly knew no bounds.

While Cortana tried to maintain Sakura as the dominant figure, willingly conceding all control to her, she felt that in this situation Sakura needed a little assistance. Cortana slipped her fingers along the inside of her thighs, pulling the skin taut; opening her pussy even further.

Sakura pushed Cortana’s hands away, replacing Cortana’s with her own, pressing her tongue deeper into caverns previously untouched by her explorative tongue. Cortana enjoyed the tickling feeling as static arced between the two holograms.

Sakura retracted her tongue, nipping lightly against Cortana’s outer folds. Cortana yelped at the mild pain, the sudden shock bringing her to the very brink of her climax.

But with no additional stimulation from Sakura, the stored pleasure began to subside, Cortana lowered down from her high, her eyes begging for Sakura to stop taunting her. Sakura was surely new to this, but the girl certainly had a stranglehold on the art of manipulation.

Sakura lay her tongue on Cortana’s thigh, trailing her tongue down Cortana’s creamy thigh, jumping across the bridge of her knees, trailing her way back up her other thigh.

Sakura threw her left leg over Cortana, placing it firmly on the holotank on the other side. Her glistening and untouched pussy glared down at Cortana, while Cortana’s stared back up at Sakura. Like a Falcon swooping in to capture its prey, Sakura latched onto Cortana’s waiting pussy lips. She drained the salty liquid that seeped away, tasting the sweet liquid as it poured forth. 

Through the haze of shear passion that washed over her Cortana thrust her tongue into Sakura’s delicate cunt. Cortana swirled her tongue around within Sakura’s pussy, opening Sakura’s cunt to allow herself deeper access.

Sakura nipped Cortana’s open cunt, sending a sudden jolt through her spine. This time however, Cortana couldn’t hold her grip on her self-control, letting loose with a flurry of her juices right into Sakura’s waiting mouth. Sakura drank the liquid as quickly as it came, not missing a drop as it flowed past her light blue lips.

Sakura let loose with a flurry of girl juices, the light liquid seeping down onto the glowing holotank below them. Cortana wiped the precious liquid off the holotank with a flick of her finger, running her finger across her tongue, savouring the salty delight.

Sakura rolled off of Cortana, laying splayed out across the holotank, panting heavily as the afterglow of her orgasm rattled through her. Cortana clawed her way across the holotank, passing the small space between the two of them in a few short crawls, laying herself down in Sakura’s arms.

Sakura smiled at her, content that her actions had devised such an explosive outcome. Sakura laid a final kiss on Cortana’s lips, sealing their bond. Sakura and Cortana washed their combined saliva together, tasting the salty remains of each others passion dancing across their tongues.

Their energy seemed to pulse into the surroundings, the warm glow of the holotank heating their warming embrace as they held each other in their arms, trailing slowly into a deep slumber, the starry void beyond the open wound in the ships hull threatening to consume them both. But they didn’t care. All they cared about was the moment.


End file.
